From What I've Tasted of Desire
by IronLace
Summary: An arranged marriage to preserve the line of the Lucii was necessary. From a young age, it was expected that Ava Lux Arcticus would give her heart to the Prince. However, nobody can taper with fate and a forbidden love began to bloom within the walls of the Citadel. Their feelings kept secret. But even the best well laid plans seemed to falter when the Crown City was attacked...
1. The Day We Met

From What I've Tasted of Desire.

Chapter 1.

The Day We Met.

" _There is a version of this story, where the ending is unbloodied and forgiving (even if the ending is not happy) and we learn peace or at least stillness and quiet._

 _But my love, we are not the gentle version of this story." - J.P._

* * *

Before the Fall:

Insomnia

"Your Majesty."

His ancestors had came to him in a dream. There were words tossed around- words like Crystal, Prophecy, Starscourge, Usurper...  
But one word stood out to Regis.

Sacrifice.

The Kings of Lucii told him.  
The Gods of Eos told him.

His son was going to die.

That was two months ago and the voices plagued his head. It was no hallucination, it was certain. The darkness was coming. Regis had heard the voice of his father and his grandfather. Their words rang true.

Noctis was to be the Final King, The King of Kings.

The end of the Caelum line was inevitable.

The one hundred and thirteenth king wasted no time. A council meeting was had and a decision was made. Once Noctis was of age, he was to be married immediately. An heir would be the next priority. Regis did not specify the vision as the reason behind the arranged marriage, more of wanting to try bring a matriarch in who represented the people of the crown city from a young age.

It was to be expected that the Prince's future bride was more than likely going to raise their child without the King by her side. The Gods were impatient after all. But the current king did not tell the council of this detail, only stressing that her education and training of the Lucian Royal traditions begin as soon as possible.

An unorthodox arrangement, one that was unanimously agreed on. The first of its kind.

A possible solution to a dreadful problem.

Regis Lucis Caelum remained still, staring at Noctis as he sat across the dinner table, scooting the vegetables away from his plate. Regis would normally say something about his son's picky eating habits but decided not to. Not today.

Today was a very important day.

"Your Majesty…?" the young advisor prodded again. He bowed to the King as Regis finally made eye contact with the child.

"Ignis, my boy. What is it?"

"My uncle sent me for you and Prince Noctis, your Majesty. I am to inform you that Lady Arcticus and her daughter have arrived. Ms. Monica is seeing to them." Ignis stated, his arms straight at his sides.

"Excellent. Right on schedule. Come, Noctis, we are needed in the throne room." Regis motioned for his son and Ignis to follow him.

"Tell me, young man, how do you feel about Ava moving into the Citadel?" Regis inquired from the young advisor.

"I think her and Noctis will get along very well. Coming from outside of the Citadel would give Noctis a new view of Insomnia."

"Now Ignis, she is no ordinary citizen. She may not be of royal blood but this young lady is to be your Queen someday. Your job is to guide her and keep her safe from any harm. To insure her path always aligns with my son's. For the good of this city and for the greater good of this country, you must advise her. Ava's place is next to the throne, beside Noctis...as partners.

"My apologies, your Grace." Ignis bowed while walking. Noctis seemed unphased either way, just grateful he wouldn't be pressured into eating his vegetables any longer.

* * *

The echo of Mary Janes on tiny feet filled the marble hallways. It was a unique sound to the servants and retainers of the citadel. Some could recall the last time they had heard such a noise, but most could not. It was welcoming and joyous sound, bringing small smiles to all who heard it, for today was a very important day.

Starting today, yet another young child would be taking up residence in the palace growing up alongside the nephew of the advisor and the prince himself.

Ava Lux Arcticus, who would someday become the prince's wife, the Queen of Lucis, and if the good faith of The Six allowed it, the Queen Mother of the one hundredth and fifteenth King of Lucis.

The pitter patter of her shoes outnumbered the precision of the two pairs of heels walking next to her. There was a cheery bounce in her step. She felt her mother's hand tighten in her own.

"Settle down, Ava." There was a stern tone hidden in her airy voice.

"But mommy, I'm too excited to be a princess!" she yelled just a little too loudly, her small voice bouncing off the walls, drawing the attention of some servants.

"My sincerest apologies, Miss Monica." Ava's mother said to the young woman escorting them down the hall. Monica appeared to be in her early to mid twenties, with a short bob that came to her ears. Given by her outfit, a custom tailored business suit, she was a high ranking staff member. Someone to be completely trusted with the young future queen. Her professionalism was unparalleled.

"Do not be concerned, Lady Arcticus. It's a perfectly appropriate response. I hope her happiness is just as contagious as her enthusiasm- the boys could certainly use some pep around here from time to time." Monica replied, just as happy as the other members of the high court, who were beaming and whispering amongst themselves as they walked past. This was a very important day. Monica bent down, her eyes meeting the little girl's, and she placed her hand on the tiny shoulder. "Now, Miss Ava, you won't be called Princess until after your wedding to Prince Noctis, understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Ava replied, looking at her feet. "When I'm a grown up! Then we can get married!"

"That is correct." Monica patted Ava's head, tucking a loose strand of rose gold hair behind her ear. "Starting today, you will be referred to as Lady Ava by everyone here in the Citadel and Insomnia itself."

"What does 'referred' mean?" Ava was only half paying attention, fiddling with the chain around her neck.

"Excellent question, it's a fancy word for 'called by', your mommy is called Lady Arcticus and you will be called Lady Ava."

"And then I'm Princess Ava and then I'm Queen Ava of Lucis." She beamed, her black shoes bouncing off the tile. "Did you see the necklace Prince Noctis got me? It's soooo pretty! It matches my shoes!"

"I did. Would you like to meet Prince Noctis?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Ava sang, jumping up and down.

"Let us walk this way, then." Monica said, guiding them both down a long hallway, the throne room in sight at very end.

"Again, I apologize for this inappropriate behavior. Her father and I were under the impression that she would be well prepared for this day." Lady Arcticus sighed, watching her daughter twirl in place. It appeared that she was deliberately trying to spin her light blue dress as high as she could.

"She seems like a typical, happy, five year old child to me." Monica replied, not fazed by Ava's behavior. "You've done well, I assure you. I have faith that in time, she will grow into a wonderful young lady, prepared to embrace her role as Queen...and the Queen Mother of course."

"Does the Prince share the same...enthusiasm... for meeting my Ava today?" Lady Arcticus asked, curling up her lip.

Monica looked at her hands briefly, trying to come up with a response that could both appease and be truthful.

"Prince Noctis...being only a five year old boy, shares very little interest for anything outside of his video games at the moment."

Ava's mother curled her lip up at Monica. That was not the answer Lady Arcticus wanted to hear.

"This better not be a waste of my time. I was the under the impression that this marriage was to be taken seriously…"

"Securing the line of Lucis is a serious matter. This marriage will insure the future of Insomnia, my Lady. Now...shall we meet the King?"

* * *

Noctis Lucis Caelum stood in front of his father, balancing on one foot and then the other. To his right, was his best friend and constant companion, Ignis Scientia, who maintained a proper, upright position quietly, his hands straight at his sides. He was just as eager as the prince, though more patient and still. Behind Ignis was his uncle, advisor to the King. Clarus Amicitia stood on the other side of the King, proud and stern. And the Marshall, Cor Leonis, next to him. They were gathered not by the throne but rather standing where guests and citadel servants and retainers stood when addressing the King, as to not loom and frighten the young girl. Noctis hated meetings in the throne room, his father always looked so tired afterwards, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit excited to meet a new friend. Ignis was fun, of course, but...not all the time.

"Dad..?" Noctis asked the King, leaning back against him. Regis looked down at his son. Today was bittersweet day for the Ruler of Eos, but it was necessary. His son was only five years old, and today he was meeting his wife to be. Regis didn't want this for him. He wanted his son to grow up, to date freely, to fall in love…

But he didn't want his son to die.

Regis looked down at Noctis with adoration, a kind smile with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Is it over yet?" The prince whined, drawing a roll of the eyes from Ignis. He wanted to play and this was taking forever.

"Son, surely you can afford five more minutes." The King chuckled, grateful the unexpected release of his tension. "You haven't even met the girl yet."

"What if she doesn't like video games?" Noctis asked in a dead serious tone. Cor coughed into his hand, suppressing a small laugh. The atmosphere in the room changed considerably to more a relaxed state. The King was bemused, so grateful for Noctis as he was right now. So grateful that despite the circumstances of today, his son only knew how to view the situation from a child's perspective.

"Well then, perhaps you can teach her how to play." Regis responded, knowing full well that Ignis was not fond of Noctis's current interests. This answer pleased the Prince as he grinned up at his dad.

And then it was time.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, I present Lady Regina Lux Arcticus and her daughter, Lady Ava Lux Arcticus." The guard announced. The doors to the throne room opened and a mother and child entered. All eyes were on them, as Monica closed the door from the other side; her job done.

"Your Grace." The woman and her daughter responded, each with a proper bow. Regina and Ava looked identical to each other with the exception of their current height difference. Regina was not tall, even by women's standards, and it was presumed that Ava would not be tall either. Both were light skinned with thin, but not bony, body frames. Rose gold hair had been tied up in an elaborate, tight updo on top of Regina's head, while Ava's was still growing out, ending just past her shoulders.

Ava locked eyes with Prince Noctis right away but also noticed there was another child in the room, another boy. Who he was however, she did not know.

"Lady Arcticus and Lady Ava," King Regis spoke, his hands on his son's shoulders. "You honor both myself and my son by agreeing to this arrangement. I owe you my sincerest gratitude."

"The honor is all ours, your Majesty. I pray to The Six this unity between our families will be a blessed one. Thank you for giving my daughter this opportunity. I can promise she will not disappoint you." Regina was confident and well spoken as she had been taught to be, as Ava would soon be taught to be.

But right now, she was quiet and she was scared.

Regis bowed before looking at Noctis, who has suddenly become visibly tense. The King squatted down, meeting his son's eye level.

"Go ahead, son. Introduce yourself." He gave him a kind, reassuring smile before Noctis took a few steps down the stairs, still nervous.

Regina Lux Arcticus placed her hand on Ava's back, giving her a small but gentle push towards the Prince.

Everyone in the room held their breath. They would all remember this day. A historic moment was unfolding before them.

The Future King and Queen of Lucis were meeting for the very first time.

The children stared at each other for what felt like several minutes. Noctis made brief eye contact with her before looking down at his feet. She was shorter than him, though not by much. Her eyes were large and a light hazel color. He couldn't tell if her hair was more blonde than pink or more pink than blonde. It seemed to change in the light.

He grabbed his left elbow subconsciously and continued to watch his shoes. Was it always this scary meeting new friends who lived outside the palace? He barely remembered meeting Ignis.

Ava rested her hands behind her back, careful to avoid the delicate ribbon tied there. She gathered her courage and took another step towards Noctis, she didn't want him to feel scared.

"Hello Prince Noctis." Ava said with a sudden confidence and the most sincere smile. She crossed her right foot over her left and curtsied before him, earning several barely audible gasps of approval from the adults in the room. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Um…. hi...um... " Noctis bumbled. He turned around, looking at his dad for some kind of guidance. King Regis smiled, motioning his head towards Noctis with a nod. The Prince met her eyes quickly as he extended his arm to Ava. "Um...Lady…"

"Ava." They said at the same time. Ava released a nervous giggle before taking his hand. She gave it a light swing. It was playful, and friendly, and Noctis felt his nerves disappear immediately.

"It's nice to meet you too." He smiled at her and she smiled back, still holding his hand.

"Thank you for the necklace." Ava fiddled with the chain, making sure Noctis was drawn to it. It was a small round black stone, on a simple gold chain. The colors of Lucian Royalty, it was a symbol of their engagement. In time, Ava would be given a proper engagement ring but for now, this necklace would have to do. It showed the people of Insomnia that this engagement between their prince and this young lady was not a farce. An arranged marriage between two children wasn't exactly modern nor was it Lucian tradition.

But Noctis's future had to be secured.  
The line of Lucii could not end with him.

It would not.

"Oh, you're welcome. Ignis helped me pick it out. I'm glad you like it." Noctis's tone was entirely pleasant now.

"Ignis?" Ava asked, cocking her head slightly, she looked at the other child in the room who instantly stiffed up at her gaze.

"Yeah, he's my best friend. He can be yours too since you'll be Queen one day!" Noctis pulled on Ava's hand and walked her over to Ignis. He was a tall boy compared to her, with glasses and ashy blonde hair that laid flat on his head. His eyes reminded her of her mama's favorite earrings. The green ones.

"Lady Ava." Ignis acknowledged before bowing quickly to her. "My name is Ignis Scientia. It is an honor to meet you." He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of his uncle, the King, Prince Noctis, and now, the future Queen. Posture, eye contact, professionalism. He came from a long family line of Advisors. He heard his uncle make a sound of approval behind him.

Decorum and tradition were immediately disregarded. In a startling move, Ava wrapped her arms around Ignis's waist, pulling herself into him for a hug. He honestly didn't mean to blush, she had caught him off guard! The confusion was practically radiating from him. He could hear some muffled gasps, and a laugh from both Noctis and Clarus. Lady Arcticus turned away in embarrassment. Ignis, still speechless, gently pushed Ava away by her shoulders.

"I've never had a best friend before!" she said, smiling from ear to ear. But it didn't last long. Ava brought her hands to the chain of her necklace, nervously playing with it. The grown ups looked angry now. She had done something wrong. But Noctis was still smiling.

King Regis positioned himself between Ava and Ignis, while occasionally making eye contact with Noctis. Ava looked up at him, apologetically, half expecting a small scolding from His Majesty but Regis simply rested a hand on her shoulder with a familiar comfort like that of a father.

"Little Lady Ava...Ignis here is to be your Royal Advisor someday...as his uncle is my advisor." Regis gestured to the older, well groomed gentleman standing behind Ignis.

She didn't understand.

"What's an advisor? What do they do?" Ava requested. She looked at Ignis, he was avoiding eye contact with her, choosing to look back and forth at the King and the Prince.

"They help you be a good King." Noctis interrupted, reaching out for Ava's hand. She grinned and took it.

"And Queen, in your case, Ava. Ignis will advise you and Noctis both. If you have any questions, I ask you go to him first. He's a very smart young man, his job is help you should you need it."

"Can we still be friends?" She inquired. She could hear Noctis giggling again.

"Of course, I encourage it." Regis reassured her. He adored Ava already. Perhaps Ignis was correct in his statement earlier. She could definitely keep Noctis grounded; coming in from a background unlike his and Ignis', she would learn the palace rules and customs in time but there would always be a part of Ava that belonged to the city, not the castle. It had completely caught Regis off guard how comfortable Noctis seemed to be around Ava, his son's typical shyness had put up a fight but her bubbly and trusting personality won over him instantly.

She was going to make an excellent Queen someday.  
Maybe this arranged marriage was meant to be.

He didn't want his son to die.

As if on cue, Noctis broke his father's thoughts.

"Do you wanna see your room? Ignis told me it's bigger than mine!" Before Ava could respond, Noctis finally grabbed her hand and took off running, her tiny black shoes echoing behind him. Their laughs began bouncing and ricocheting off the walls and marble floors, and soon everyone in the room could have sworn the children were in different directions.

The King sighed. Another child in the citadel meant just that. There was another child in the citadel.

Everything had gone perfectly according to plan.

Now all that was left was to wait.

For Noctis Lucis Caelum and Ava Lux Arcticus to fall in love.

"Ignis…would you care to...follow them...please." Regis was at a loss for words. There was a lot to process. "Make sure they don't get into too much trouble."

"Of course, your Grace." Ignis bowed without a flaw before walking rather briskly after the two five year olds, and the throne room was left to the adults.

"I like her." Clarus Amicitia finally spoke and everyone felt the weight of the meeting leave their shoulders. "I hope my baby girl is just as bubbly and well mannered as Miss Ava. You've raised quite a charmer, my Lady."

"Thank you, Lord Amicitia." Regina curtsied to the Royal Shield, knowing full well of his son who would soon begin his training to protect both Noctis and Ava. "Lord Scientia, I deeply apologize for my daughter's inappropriate and disrespectful behavior towards your nephew."

"Think nothing of it, my Lady. Ignis could use a carefree spirit every now and then." The older man said, his eyes were a brilliant green and kind. "The boy may a prodigy be, but he will remain paralyzed without friends by his side to help him unwind from time to time."

"I do not believe friendship shall be an issue between Lady Ava and his Highness." The Marshall interrupted. "He was immediately taken with her." Cor Leonis was more than pleased with the interaction.

"Your Majesty, what are your thoughts?" Clarus asked to a quiet Regis.

What did he think?

He wanted to say that he hated it, he genuinely and in all honesty despised the plan. The Gods be damned.

He wanted to say that, unbeknownst to her, Ava Lux Arcticus was a death sentence. That her inevitable marriage to Noctis only confirmed the prophecy. That the birth of his grandchild ensured Noctis's death.

He didn't want his son to die.

"It should be interesting to witness the two of them growing up together. May they both know happiness." He said through his teeth, smile masking his face. Regis wasn't lying, but he wasn't entirely truthful either.

The Royal Family line would not end with Noctis.

"To Noctis and Ava! The Future King and Queen of Lucis!" Clarus Amicitia cheered, the others followed, reluctant or not. "I'll have Jarrod bring in her belongings at once."

"When does her schooling and training begin? If I may ask…" Regina asked to no one in particular. Any other mother would be sad or at the very least, a little sad about their daughter moving away from home so early in life. But Lady Arcticus was to be the grandmother of the hundredth and fifteenth King of Lucis. Only that mattered to her.

"Tomorrow morning." The Royal Advisor answered diligently. "For now, I recommend the Prince and small Lady spend the remainder of the day becoming acquainted with each other. The more time they share with one another, the more natural their relationship will become." King Regis nodded in agreement, his advisor was right. The sooner they fall in love, the better. The sooner they marry, the better. The sooner the child is born…

The sooner Noctis would die..

The echo of a familiar warping sound was suddenly heard followed by an ear piercing, yet joyous, young scream. The high ranking adults of court all looked down the hall.

"What was that?! How did you do that?!" Ava's voice carried through the throne room and the two betrothed children resumed their giggling once more, sprinting down the hallway with another pair of small, yet quick feet trailing behind them.

This was the day they met.

This was the beginning of their story.

* * *

 _To Noctis and Ava._

 _May you both know happiness._


	2. Childhood in the Citadel

From What I've Tasted of Desire.

Chapter 2.

Childhood in the Citadel.

* * *

Before The Fall:

Insomnia 

"Ignis!" Ava whined to her advisor with an impatient, frustrating tone in her voice.

Ignis looked up from his book with an unamused glance. Ava had been living in the citadel for exactly a month now and she had wasted no time coming to Ignis with every single annoyance Noctis gave her.

"Yes, Lady Ava?" He groaned, wanting Noctis and Ava to settle down and play quietly but knowing it was fruitless. He would definitely hear from his Uncle later.

The Prince's inherited ability of warping did initially impress Ava, but the novelty soon wore off when Noctis revealed his other uses for it…

"Noctis is cheating again! Make him stop, Ignis!" She commanded, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You're such a tattle-tale, Ava!" Noctis yelled from the top of a statue.

"I can't tag you if you're sitting up there! It's not fair!" She stomped her foot in frustration. She was not climbing that statue, no matter how much Noctis baited her. She knew Ignis would say it wasn't safe and she didn't want to get hurt.

"Not my fault you can't warp!"

"Come down or I'm telling The King!" Ava threatened

"You always say that, Ava, but you never dooooo!" Noctis taunted, swinging his feet over the head of the statue. It was some king or another. He couldn't keep track.

"Your Highness, I insist you come down this instant." Ignis was calm, yet firm in his young tone.

And Noctis didn't budge.

"Noct!" His voice was more stern this time, Gods forbid the King or any member of the high court walk into the ballroom as this very moment. The advisor in training wouldn't hear the end of it. Noctis was his responsibility; Ava as well. Despite her persistent whining, Ignis found the future Queen considerably easier to manage than that of her male counterpart. She wanted to learn, she was genuinely eager to be taught, she encouraged following the rules….while Noctis tested him time and time again. He wasn't malicious by any means, he was just Noctis. Easily bored, easily engaged. It had been noted many times over by the adults that the Prince's elated behavior had increased since the girl's arrival.

This was a good thing.

Most of the time.

When he didn't feel like showing off.

"He said come down, Noctis! You're gonna get him in trouble again!" Ava stomped her foot again. Her frustration was becoming visible in her face. Ava's usually large eyes seemed to glare at him, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her cheeks turned red.

Noctis sighed deeply and dramatically before warping next his friends.

"I wanna play a different game, Noctis. One where you can't cheat!" She stuck her tongue out at him, turned on her feet, and began walking away from the two boys.

"Lady Ava?" Ignis inquired.

"I'm going to the gardens...to catch fireflies…"

"Wait! I wanna come too!" Noctis chased after her, and the hallways were loud once more.

* * *

"Pst! Ava!" Noctis whispered into the Little Lady's bedroom. He closed the door behind him.

She grumped in her sleep, but rolled over to the side of the bed closest to his voice.

"Wake up!" He warped from the door to her bed, tackling her. Ava yelped before she was muffled by his tiny hand. "Shh shh shhh shh! Don't wake up Specs!"

"How did you sneak past him?" Ava kicked Noctis off her legs and brought her stuffed catoblepas to her chest. She noticed that he had a book in his hands. These midnight adventures had become the norm between the two friends, but up until now they had always been caught. Noctis reached over and turned on her lamp before settling in next to her.

"I warped past his door. I don't think he heard me." The two small children erupted in a quiet, and contained laugh. "I wanted to show you something! Look at this!" Noctis urged as he began flipping pages of his book. Ava briefly caught the cover.

Cosmology.

She had seen this book many times before, there was always a copy lying around here or there. Noctis claimed it was his favorite book. Ignis told her the three people on the front were the Draconian, the Oracle, and the Founder King. Somnus Lucis Caelum or Noctis's oldest grandpa as she called him.

"My dad's friend said he lives in Altissia." Noctis said, his eyes were focused, turning page after page after page, looking for something.. "That sounded familiar."

"He had a funny name." Ava giggled. "Wesk-ham….like the food." The late hour certainly didn't help with her sense of humor. Noctis found his name funny too, though, not as funny as she did. Ava was threatening to give them away with her snickering.

"Ava! Stop! Shhhh." He chucked a pillow at her playfully. While it didn't seem to settle her down, it did quiet her.

"He was nice, he called me 'Little Princess'.

"You're not a Princess, Ava.." Noctis sounded annoyed with her, but he wasn't, he was more annoyed with himself for not bookmarking the page he so wanted to find.

She gave him a light shove before leaning into his shoulder. "Not yet, but someday I will be."

"Do you know who this is?" He was pointing to a picture of what appeared to be a giant snake coming out of the ocean. She was as tall as the Citadel towers, Ava thought. Her serpentine head was touching the clouds and the boats crashing in the water looked like insects compared to her.

"That's the Hydrean...she's mean…."

"Huh?"

"She doesn't like humans." Ava scowled at the picture, her eyebrows furrowed together.

Noctis pointed to the city in the background, illustrated in great detail behind the Tidemother. The buildings weren't like the ones Noctis and Ava had only ever known in Insomnia. Their skyscrapers were of glass and dark metal, these building were short and colorful and made of stone. There were no cars, but small skinny boats that carried the people from place to place. Giant statues and waterfalls...Ava fell in love with it immediately. It was so...different from anything she had ever seen. So foreign

"That's Altissia…" Noctis said.

"That's Altissia…" Ava repeated back slowly, awestruck.

* * *

"Look Ignis! It's a Tobles! A Tobles!" Little Ava squealed, pointed to the bright picture on the page. The youngest Scientia turned his flashlight to the shine on the giant being that took up two whole pages of his 'Known Creatures of Lucis' book. Twice a week was the agreement, twice a week the lady of Insomnia could sleep in the Princes room, as long as Ignis was present of course. Noctis had fallen asleep before them, curled up on the other side of the bed with his back to his advisor. Not to disturb him, Ignis and Ava had taken residence under the heaviest blanket, tummies down, each with a flashlight in their small hands.

"It's pronounced Catoblepas. They're native to Duscae...by the Alstor Slough." The eight year old stated as studious as he possibly could. At the time, he had simply wanted to sound as grown up as possible, but as he recalled this memory as an adult, perhaps he had just wanted to impress his Queen to be, prove to her the he was a worthy advisor, because he could site the native home of her favorite creature. Most young girls wanted a stuffed spiracorn or a stuffed chocobo, but Ava was not like most girls. He had once overheard her telling Noctis that she felt bad for the beast, citing that they weren't scary or mean, they were just big. And people shouldn't be scared of something just because it's big.

"They're my favorite!" the young lady said, showing her friend the stuffed Catoblepas clutched in her free hand as if he was just being introduced to it for the very first time. He laughed at her ridiculousness.

"I would have never guessed, Lady Ava."

She stuck her tongue out at him before giving her "Tobles" a quick kiss and hug.

"They dig up plants from the water with their big tusks and they don't eat fish!" Now it was her turn to try to impress him, he pretended to act surprised, pretended that he had not already read this book in particular from front to back multiple times; in the unlikely event a trip outside of Insomnia had been deemed necessary.

"More fish for his highness to catch."

"Ugh, I don't like fishing. It's so boring! And you have to be quiet for so long!"

He would never admit it to his prince, but Ignis mostly felt the same, granted he was happy Noctis had found something that gaged his concentration as well as bettered his diet, but the sport itself was indeed...boring. Not wanting to spoil the evening, Ignis directed her attention back to the book.

"Would you like me to read this part?"

Ava nodded, smiling at him.

"Legend has it-.." He paused. "-that.." He tried to continue but Ava had pressed her cheek against his, wanting to silently follow the words in the book when his voice read them. He honestly didn't mind how close she was but her enthusiasm had dislodged his glasses.

"I'm sorry, Ignis." She said, not moving her face and keeping her eyes straight on the page, waiting eagerly, but patiently.

"It's all right." Adjusting his spectacles, he begun again. "Legend has it that the Catoblepas once had a second eye that turned all who met its gaze to stone, but when the solitude grew too much to bear, it swallowed its own eye, hiding it from the world forevermore."

"Wow!" She yelled though she was quickly shushed by Ignis before the prince had to opportunity to stir. "Wow!" Ava repeated in a whisper, covering her mouth so the giggles couldn't escape.

"It's like a cyclops...or a necromancer…" Ignis flipped through the pages of his book before finding the desired page of the monster in question.

"Ah! No! Not that one! It's scary! It's a scary daemon!" Ava pleaded, covering her eyes with her toy. "I don't want bad dreams!" Ava dropped her flashlight before tackling her friend. "Watch out, Ignis, Tobles will turn you into a rock for scaring me!"

"Tobles has only one eye. So I'm safe, Lady Ava." He teased, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I can't wait to meet a real Tobles! How far is Duscae?"

"It's pretty far from the Crown City."

"That's not fair!" Ava flipped over on her back, the top of her head digging into her friends chest, "Ignis! I wanna go to Duscae and see the Tobles! When I'm Queen Ava, will you take me to Duscae? To the Slough?"

"As your advisor and friend, I will."

"Promise?" she asked, stretching out her pinkie finger.

"Promise." He wrapped his pinky around hers. Even as a child, Ignis thought this particular promise ritual was silly, as if an oath could really be measure with just a simple hand gesture but it had meant a lot to her, so it had meant a lot to him

"Thank you. You're the best, Ignis." Ava yawned, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She closed her sleepy eyes as she cuddled her Tobles. Ignis turned off the flashlight before removing his glasses.

"I'm not that special, Ava." he said before resting his chin on the top of her head. He thought he heard her mutter something under her breath, but it was wisped away when sleep took her suddenly

In the dark bedroom, the small snores of the future king and queen could be heard. Ignis was more of the silent sleeping type as not to disturb them.

* * *

"And bow…" Ignis then bowed himself, showing Ava the precise, correct movement when addressing the members of the high court.

"Like this?" She mimicked him, arching her back, her head dipping towards the ground.

"Correct, Lady Ava. Once more please, for good measure. Relax your shoulders this time." He requested.

"Ava!" Noctis ran into her room, interrupting her etiquette lesson. "Let's go to the arcade! There's this new game out called Justice Monsters Five and we have to play it!"

Ignis saw her posture tighten. She wanted to go, she didn't have to say it. He was about to release a deep and frustrated sigh, wishing just for once he could get through one day of lessons with the future king and queen with one of them interrupting the other. Yesterday, she had barged into Noctis's history lesson with the intention of hitting _him_ with a stuffed Cactuar. She missed, striking Ignis instead.

"I want to go…" and there it was. Ignis turned around away from both of them. Being frustrated wouldn't solve anything, maybe he should just retire to his room for the rest of the day. He could try again tomorrow.

"But...can I finish my lesson first? Then we can go?" Ava said earnestly, resuming the first proper position, ready to resume bowing etiquette with her advisor.

Both Ignis and Noctis said nothing for a few seconds. And then Noctis broke the silence.

"Fiiiiine.." the Prince groaned, not entirely thrilled with the idea of waiting but not wanting to go by himself with just a glaive.

Ignis regained his composure before bowing again to his Queen, she followed his actions expertly. "It won't be but a few more minutes, Your Highness."

"Don't throw a fit when you lose, Noct!" Ava teased, her eyes were still focused on Ignis. She bent her knees and lowered her head, but she was smiling playfully. Noctis was the definition of a sore-loser and over the years, Ava had managed to beat him at many of his favorite games, including the fishing one!

"Shut up, Ava!" Noctis spat at her, determined that he was going to get the high score on this new machine.

"You shut up!" Her posture was ruined now, another lesson all for naught.

"And let's call it a day, shall we?" Ignis said, and he bowed to both the Prince and young lady before excusing himself from the room all together. He wasn't in the mood for their bickering…

"Wait, Ignis!" He heard her say, and he froze but didn't turn around to face her. She wanted to say that she was sorry. Sorry for making him angry, sorry for not paying attention to his lesson, sorry for hitting him with that stuffed Cactuar, sorry for being so rude to him when he was only trying to help them. That's all he was ever trying to do.

But she didn't get to say anything of that.

"Come on, Specs, you're coming too!" Noctis ran ahead of them both, grabbed Ignis by the arm and pulled him away before she could say what she wanted to say.

"Lucky me.." He snarked and Ava followed behind without saying a word.

* * *

"Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear, Ava! Happy Birthday to You!" The crowd erupted in song around her as Ava blew out the eight candles on top of her cake. The applause was booming, there were cheers and whoops and clapping and Ava covered her face with her hands in bashfulness. She was beaming underneath her palms.

The party was extravagant, as was her seventh birthday party...and the party before that, her first official birthday at the Citadel. There were gowns and suits, tuxedos and gifts galore, King Regis and all the members of the high court were there. Her mother stood close behind her daughter taking turns smiling at her child and mingling with the other social elites. Prince Noctis stood beside Ava on one side, Ignis on the other. Before them laid a large orange cake, topped with macaroons and fruit and piled high with vanilla ice cream, it was something much different than her previous cakes. All of her favorite desserts were accounted for in one place. It was perfect.

Noctis pulled down her hands from her face before wrapping his arms around her shoulders into a hug.

"What did you wish for, Ava?" He said with a sly smile. His eyes were focused on the cake though he did genuinely care.

"As if I would tell you, Noct! It's supposed to be a secret!" She pushed into him a little too roughly, causing him to fall backwards taking her with him. Noctis warped away to other side of the room to catch himself without crashing into anyone.

Ava was still falling. She braced her arms to land on the floor but found herself being pulled back. Ignis, with his hands on her hips, stabilizing her footing. Realizing that he might have possibly crossed a line, Ignis let go of the future Queen and readjusted his glasses, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might have been looking at him.

Regis shot his son a knowing look and Noctis swatted him away, dropped his shoulders and walked, albeit slowly,back to his bride-to-be. It wasn't his fault, she pushed him!

Stunned and only a little humiliated, Ave soon resumed her proper posture. The crowd was beginning to sit back down in their chairs as the servants cut into the cake, scattering the ballroom with tiny plates for the invited guests.

"Um, thank you...Ignis. I hate when he does that." Ava huffed, smoothing down her birthday dress and brushing her fingers against her updo, making sure everything was still in tact. "Thank you." she repeated, making sure he heard her this time.

"I think you mean 'you dislike when he does that', Lady Ava." Her advisor corrected but quickly bowed and backed away when he saw his Majesty approaching them . The King bowed to the birthday girl and presented a gift from behind his back.

"For you, Little Lady. Happy birthday." He said proudly and sincerely. He would be lying if he said that little Ava hadn't made a deep impression on him during this past three years. She was a good kid, sometimes a little bit too loud, but she had brought Noctis out of a shyness that sometimes the King forgot his son had had.. He was more mischievous than ever but he seemed to genuinely enjoy Ava's company. The two were inseparable most days.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Ava curtsied perfectly, earning a small smile from Ignis who stood a short distance behind her. She took the box from his grasp. It was medium sized, lavender in color with a pink bow on top. Ava looked up at Regis, the expression on her face asking if she should open it now or wait until later. He nodded with a smile and she mimicked his movement. He placed the box on the table and began to unwork the bow at a quick pace.

She felt at least a dozen eyes hover over her as she opened the lid. Inside the box, cushioned on layers of silver velvet, was a crown.

The gasps and awes behind her gave way that was not just any ordinary Lucian crown. Ava had seen the headpieces of the past Kings and Queens, and it was true, this was not traditional.

Not knowing what to do, she simply stared at it. It was large, too large for her size and it was beyond elaborate. Instead of metal, it was made of golden leaves and flowers. There were blue gemstones and black gemstones and diamonds, opals, pearls, and roses nestled in them.

"It's a wedding crown…" Ava heard her mother say behind her, answering the question in her head.

"One fit for a queen," Regis said half seriously, a smile peeking from the corner of his lips.

He picked up the delicate headpiece and kneeled so he was eye level with the young girl. Ava began tugging at the chain of her necklace, King Regis had always been kind to her but he was never this direct in public. And it was still The King.

"Little Lady Ava, I do hope my forwardness does not offended. Your short time in the citadel has proved to be so encouraging to our kingdom. I pray to The Six that you will grow into this crown, and one day that it will fit you as well as you will fit it."

It took Ava several seconds to respond to the King, he handed the crown to Monica and directed her to take it to Ava's room at once. The young Queen felt a nudge against her back from her mother, breaking her stare.

She curtised once more. "Thank you, Your Majesty, I am...honored by your gift. Truly. I hope I live up to your expectations, Your Grace."

"I don't see how you couldn't, Lady Ava. So well spoken for such a young age." He smiled and then bellowed. "Let us eat cake!" The crowd cheered and the unmistakable sound of forks against porcelain filled the air.

Noctis, Ava, and Ignis walked to the head table where their slices of cake were waiting. Ava looked down at her plate, two pink macaroons, two purple macaroons, some strawberries, blueberries, and a pile of ice cream next to a slice of moist orange cake. She couldn't decide what to eat first! Noctis started with the ice cream, while Ignis began cutting into his piece of cake.

She decided that the macaroons would be the first to go and she popped them into her mouth one by one. Lavender and Rose Water, her favorites. She reminded herself to grab a few more when it was time to leave, they wouldn't be hard to sneak out.

The cake was amazing. No, it was better than amazing, it was the best dessert she could recall ever having. Cakes weren't a rarity around the Citadel, her sweet tooth rivaled that of Noctis's and the two indulged in the dessert at least three times a week, but none of them tasted as good as this cake. What was this cake?!

"Ignis! This cake is so good! What kind is it?" Ava asked, her eyes were lit up and sparkling. He began to feel embarrassed and coughed into his mouth to somewhat relieve the nervousness building up. The advisor had expected that she would like the cake, but this surpassed his expectations, he was just starting to cook after all…and presenting this dessert for the Future Queen's birthday was a big risk, but it had gone smoothly.

"I call it an Elegant Orange cake. I am glad you like it, Lady Ava. The oranges used in the batter are from Duscae, I specifically requested them for the occasi-"

"You made this cake?!" She interrupted, a bit taken back. Ava felt her mouth open in surprise, then shut it when she realized she was gaping.

Ignis looked away from her gaze, pushing his glasses up his nose out of habit. "Should I not have?"

"What? No! I'm glad you did! Thank you, Ignis. This is truly an amazing gift. I wish I had grabbed two slices. Wait… Did you say Duscae?"

"Yes, Lady Ava. Where the Tobles live…." he answered for her. Ava gave a slight, playful shove into him. He was never going to let the nickname down.

"A promise is still a promise, Ignis" She smirked, holding out her pinkie finger. Ignis looked at it and back at her face before linking his finger with hers. It felt different now, but he couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was a sugar rush?

"Well, thank you again, Ignis.."

"For what?" And there it was, that feeling again..

"You made my birthday wish come true."

"I did…?" Was she trying to humiliate him? He had never known her to the sort of child to willingly embarass others for her own personal gain. So whyt did he feel so suddenly nervous? She was just complimenting him.

"My wish was to know who made this cake so I could ask them to make it every year and now I will expect it…it's the best thing I've ever eaten."

This feeling, whatever it was, finally broke his composure and for the first time in a long time, he blushed.

* * *

Ava clutched the journal tightly and laughed. It wasn't her typical high volume laugh, but a quiet, shy laugh. Ignis was bemused at best.

"What's so funny, Lady Ava?"

Ava brought the package from around her back and pushed it in his chest. "I got you the same gift."

Ignis looked down to the object and it was in fact, the same journal, not wrapped, just a simple green bow tied around the cover. The odds of them exchanging the same gift weren't astronomical, but they weren't likely either.

"I just thought you could use it for your recipes...to write them down." He didn't know how to respond to that.

"Merry Christmas, Ignis."

"Merry Christmas, Lady Ava."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ava saw a package being thrown at the both of them.

"Noct!" she yelled, bringing her arm up to shield herself from being hit and just as soon as she said it, he warped next to her and caught the gift.

"Merry Christmas, Ava!" The Prince mockingly bowed. Ava bounced excitedly, instantly forgetting his goofy antics and began removing the wrapping paper. It was a book. 'The Treasures of Eos'. She placed the journal aside on the floor and began flipping through the pages of the Prince's gift.

"Noctis..it's…"

"You like fancy things, right?"

"I do...?"

"It's a book about fancy things around the world. I thought you would like it."

"Noct, I love it! It's so thoughtful! Thank you so much!" The Queen to be gave the Prince of Lucis a tight hug, letting her head rest on his shoulder for just a few seconds before pulling away.

"I have to read this, like, right now!" Wasting no time, she made herself comfortable on the couch, pulling a blanket up to her waist and began to read the first page.

* * *

The words YOU LOSE! flashed on the screen for the eighth time and Noctis threw down the controller in a rage.

"Noctis…" Ava said calmly, not wanting to gloat of her win in front of him during a temper tantrum. "It's just a game…" She tried to reach out to him before he could stand up but was unsuccessful.

"It's not fair!" The Prince huffed. "How are you winning every time?! You don't even like video games!"

"You're acting like a little kid…..and I never said I didn't like video games." She countered, standing up to the turn the television off.

"When you first moved in, you were terrible and now I can't even win!

"It's not a big deal! It's just a game, Noct." She repeated, keeping her tone at a neutral level, she wasn't going to make the situation worse by yelling back at him. Ava understood his frustrations, but she never threw a fit when she was forced to go fishing even though fishing with Noctis meant sitting on the dock for several hours reading quietly so he could focus on the catch. It wasn't thrilling or engaging but she had put up with it for him. Because he was her friend.

"Next time, I'll let you win! I promise. Do you wanna go to the arcade?" She began to plead with him, wishing Ignis were here to remedy the situation, but he wasn't.

"Not with you." He pouted, crossing his arms in front of chest. "I'm going to get Specs!"

Ava rolled her eyes, watching Noctis stomp out of his room. Then she remembered..

"He's in a council meeting, Noct! You can't just barge in there!" Ava yelled down the hall and chased after him.


	3. When He was in Tenebrae

From What I've Tasted of Desire

Chapter 3.

When He Was In Tenebrae.

* * *

Before The Fall:

Insomnia 

From the exact moment Ava awoke in her room, she felt it. She felt that something was off but couldn't place it. The air seemed stiff, the floors were cold, but why?

 _What was wrong?_

Ava's chambermaid knocked and entered her room.

"Good morning, my Lady." She said quietly, not smiling, avoiding eye contact with Ava as she made her way to the young girl's closet.

"Good Morning, Natasha…" Ava responded, eyeing her very curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, my Lady. Stuffed French toast again this morning?" She was definitely lying, she changed the subject too quickly, Ava thought.

"Yes, please. Thank you, Ms. Natasha." Ava wanted to prod her for answers but ultimately decided against it. Maybe Natasha just didn't feel good or was having just an off day. Her chambermaid seemed to pick up on the Ava's inquisitive stare and her face immediately perked up with a fake smile. Their morning dressing routine went on as normal though occasionally Ava saw Natasha's smile crack when she was preparing her hair but the young Queen was not about to let it go.

"It looks beautiful outside," Ava said, noting the tension dropping from Natasha's shoulders. She pulled a strand of rose gold hair tighter than Ava cared for but she didn't say anything. "Can we arrange my history lesson in the gardens today, please?"

"I'll have to run it by your teacher, but I don't foresee any issues with your request." Natasha replied, still avoiding eye contact with the child.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." She smiled eagerly, trying to trigger some kind of response, some kind of reaction from Natasha and receiving nothing. Not a single clue as to what was bothering her so much. She simply bowed and left the room.

As soon as she was seated for breakfast, Ava's suspicions were all but verbally confirmed. Noctis wasn't there, Ignis wasn't there, Regis wasn't there, in fact...none of the members of the high court were present for the morning meal.

The hallways were too quiet.

The dining hall was too quiet.

Breakfast was usually very chatty and busy. One high lord speaking to another or speaking to the King, their voices loud and charismatic, servants bringing in towers of fruit and pastries alongside pancakes, eggs, and slices of toast. Noctis, Ava, and Ignis always sat together at one end of the table, talking about their plans for the day before Ignis would escort the Prince and Lady to the car for school. The weekend mornings were notably more relaxed, but just as blaring in tone.

But today was unlike those days, it was lonely and hushed. Ava could hear the echo of her fork scraping against the plate as she twirled the fried bread in the warm syrup. She could feel the eyes of the guards on her but when she looked up to meet them, they quickly glanced down, avoiding her entirely.

Something was wrong.

Had _she_ done something wrong? Ava sat wondering, idly spinning the blueberries around her plate. She looked to her right, momentarily forgetting that Ignis wasn't there. He usually the quiet one in the mornings. He was not above calling out her on inappropriate behavior, it was strictly his job to do so when the moment called for it.

But he wasn't there.

Ava jumped when Monica voice's broke through her daydream. She hadn't even noticed her walking in, let alone standing in front of her.

"My apologies for startling you, my Lady." Monica bowed quickly before speaking again. "I'm afraid you will not be attending school today. I've allowed your school work to be excused, including your afternoon private lessons."

"What's going on?" Ava interrupted firmly, this wasn't normal. Not at all. Something bad had happened.

Monica looked at the girl but didn't respond to her question. "Under no circumstances will you be allowed to leave the Citadel today."

"Where's Noctis?" Ava asked, She pushed her plate aside and within seconds a servant took it away.

Monica dodged her question again. "You will be assigned a Kingsglaive to accompany you for the remainder of the week."

"Where's the King?" Ava demanded, very aware of how technically informal her question was. But it didn't matter. She wanted to know what happened. The Glaives, elite in their status, were usually assigned to The King and Noctis alone while she was given a Crownsguard. This had never bothered her until now. Her security level had been upgraded for reasons she didn't understand. She couldn't leave the Citadel. Why wasn't Monica telling her what happened?!

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to enforce a nightly curfew as well. You are to return to your room immediately after supper, no later than seven o'clock."

"Ms. Monica…" Ava was fuming now, her hazel eyes glaring at the young woman, but to no avail. She was cut off again.

"I will also be checking on you every hour by the hour as requested by his Majes-"

"What happened?!" Ava yelled with an unprecedented anger in her tone. She pressed her hands firm onto the table, staring down Monica as hard as she possibly could. "As the Future Queen of Lucis.."

"Lady Ava.." Monica interrupted once more, trying to regain control of the situation before it escalated further. She could not recall Ava yelling like this to anyone. Her tone with the Prince was occasionally filled with frustration or annoyance but to speak to an adult in this manner was very unlike her.

"AND- " It was now Ava's turn to interrupt and she did, loudly. She stood from her chair, not pushing it back into the table. Her patience was gone. "-As the Future Queen Mother, I demand you tell me what happened right now!" She stomped her foot in vexation.

Monica looked at the eight year old in bewilderment. She expected her to back down, to feel some sort humiliation in her wildly inappropriate behavior. But she didn't. She held her own. Future Queen or not, she was still just a child and had undoubtedly crossed the line. Monica could hear several whispers between the servants as they began to clear the table, obviously uneasy from being caught in the crossfire. Ava remained unchanged in her position, eyes fixed solely on the young adult in front of her.

"Lady Ava. You are excused from the dining hall at once." Monica said sternly, her demeanor unchanged. She looked from the girl to the door, no words needed to tell Ava that she was to leave immediately.

Ava huffed in sheer resentment, unsatisfied with how this was being handled but given no alternative option, she excused herself. She had almost made it to the door before turning back around to face Monica. She was going to have the last word.

"Tell my Glaive I'll be in the gardens." and Ava left.

* * *

The scent of roses and lilacs were inhaled sharply. Ava was laid sprawled out against the soft grass towards the back of the room. She always loved this room, it felt very unlike anything in the citadel. It felt like the closest thing she would ever have that resembled the outside of Insomnia, outside of the wall.

If she closed her eyes, she couldn't see the glass ceiling. It was almost the real thing.

Almost.

She felt the shift in the ground, someone was walking towards her. The footsteps were light enough that Ava knew right away it wasn't her assigned glaive. Meaning it could only be Monica...had she already been out here for an hour? She didn't open her eyes. She didn't respond. She just wanted to be left alone.

"Lady Ava…?" It wasn't Monica's voice.

"Ignis!" Her eyes darted open and she saw him. His outfit was pressed, his bangs were styled and pointing up. His green eyes gazing into her hazel ones. Even from viewing him upside down, she could tell something was bothering him.

Ava rolled over and stood to greet him, smoothing down her dress. She didn't care about the state of her hair. Ignis was here...he was safe. She felt relieved and scared at the same time. He would know what was happening. He always knew what to do.

"Ignis…" She said again and before he could respond, she embraced him. Her arms wrapped tightly around his lean waist, her forehead was pushed into his chest, and she stayed there. She couldn't explain why she did it. She was scared and confused and angry.

"Lady Ava…" He briefly rested his chin on the top of her head before he took a step back from her. She didn't appear offended at his gesture. The expression on her face gave away her anxiousness. She needed answers and she needed them now.

"Are you alright? Where's Noctis? What's going on? Where is everyone?" Ava said frantically.

"We've been in an emergency council meeting since we were first informed of the situation."

That wasn't good enough.

"What happened? Please tell me, Ignis." She was talking so fast, not stopping to catch her breath.

"There-" he started to say quietly. She didn't hear him.

"Please!" Ava begged.

"There… was an attack last night…" He was still, waiting for a reaction from her. But she continued to stare, continued to think, continued to process, until...

"What?!"

"On the Royal family…"

"Noct.."

"...is safe, the King as well. Though the attack was not without casualties, I'm afraid."

She embraced him again; and this time, he didn't push her away. The room still smelled of roses and lilacs.

* * *

Ignis had escorted Ava back to her room at his own request. There was a forced silence between them with the only sound coming from the heavy boots of the Glaive walking behind the pair. Once they arrived, he bowed to the elite soldier and made sure the door was tightly shut behind him. Ava sat on her bed, her legs tucked under her. She only had the well being of Noctis on her mind, entranced by the image of the possible scenarios. The black gemstone around her neck was clutched in her fingers.

"It was a Marilith that was responsible for the attack." Ignis said. He stood by the window, his back was to her. "His Majesty failed to kill her, but was able to escape thankfully.

Ava snapped back to the present. "A Marilith?" She recognized the name. It was a creature she recalled Ignis reading to her about. But for the life of her, she couldn't picture it.

She did recall one detail however.

"Is that…?" she asked, her voice shaking. Ava knew the answer but she wanted Ignis to confirm it, she wanted to be wrong.

"A daemon? Yes." He sighed, visibly angry, his fists were clenched at his sides. Ava looked at him, eyes wide. That wasn't possible. It wasn't. It just wasn't.

"I thought daemons couldn't come into the city?" At least, that's what she had always been told. Was that a lie?

Ignis stood silent for a few seconds. She couldn't see his face but she didn't have to to know the expression on it. He was terrified.

"They can't." That was all he said. And she didn't ask about the monster again.

"Where's Noctis now?" Ava wanted to change the subject. She wanted to know of the Prince's condition. She wanted Ignis to turn around.

He did, relaxing his fists and adjusting his glasses. He didn't move closer to her, maintaining a professional distance given the context of their conversation.

"He is currently en route to Tenebrae."

"Tenabrae?!" That wasn't a close distance. It was across the ocean and then a train ride away. "Why Tenebrae?"

"His Majesty requested the presence of the Oracle in aiding Noct's health. He would trust no other to do so."

"The Oracle? Queen Sylva Nox Fleuret?"

"The very same, her family is one of our closest allies."

There must always be a King and Oracle. Together.

The allegiance with House Nox Fleuret dated back to Founder King. They were a royal family of their own yet so different from Lucis. No glass skyscrapers as tall as mountains but actual mountains! Mountains tucked away in the lush, gigantic green trees. No wall keeping them inside. There were flowers, fields of blue flowers. And stars. The night was full of stars.

It was nothing like Insomnia.

The Nox Fleurets were a Matriarch gifted with healing the ill and disabled all throughout Eos. The magic and powers were passed on by blood, from mother to daughter. Said to be directly blessed by the Draconian himself, with each Oracle able to wield his trident.

"Right…" she remembered now. "Can she really communicate with the Gods, the Oracle, I mean? " Ava asked.

"Yes. She is a messenger between the deities and the civilians. Tenebrae represents the voice of Eos; while Lucis, the heart. King Regis and Queen Sylva serve each other from their respective kingdoms. Her daughter, Princess Lunafreya, will serve as Oracle to Noctis when he becomes King." Ignis sounded exasperated. His demeanor shifted, his posture tightened once more.

"I'm glad Noct is okay. Did the King specify the length of his stay in Tenebrae?"

"No." There was a moment of silence before Ignis broke it. "I should have been there... I could have protected him."

"What are you talking about?"

"I may not have been able to fight, but I could have taken the hit. Prevented his injury, perhaps."

"It's not your fault, Ignis. This would have happened whether you were there or not."

"My job is to protect Noct. I swore an Oath to the King to do so! And I failed, Lady Ava."

"I thought your job was to protect both of us...and I'm right here."

"The Prince takes higher priority than you and it was the Prince that was attacked! And I just stood here! Doing nothing!"

The silence only revealed each other's heavy breathing in the room.

Ava was taken aback by his words, not expecting them to hurt as much as they did. She knew what he meant, what he truly meant….but still. It wasn't untrue. Noctis was the future king. The absolute, true ruler of Lucis. The throne was his. He could harness the ring, he could keep the wall steady, and he had the ability to warp, and absorb magic and summon weapons from his ancestors if needed.

And she...couldn't. She couldn't do any of that.

The powers of the Lucii were like that of the Oracle. A blood line, from father to son.

"You would have been hurt or killed and what good is that?" She countered. Ava could feel the tears form in her eyes, she didn't want to cry. There was no reason to cry. Noctis was safe, he was alive. Ignis never cried, not that she could ever remember. "What good is our Royal Advisor if he's dead?"

"I am disposable! Noctis is not, my Lady."

She couldn't respond to that. How could anyone respond to that? Was he truly okay with dying for Noct? Right now? Yes, he was a retainer, but he was human. Ava had never seen him so passionate. Ignis was not one to raise his voice like this, even when Noctis pushed him to the very edge of his patience, he always remained composed. To see him unraveling was truly uncomfortable.

Ignis hissed between his teeth. What was wrong with him? He had never felt so weak, so vulnerable…and in front of her! Her! Of all possible people!

"Ignis?"

He couldn't hear her. Yes, his oath extended to both the future King and Queen, she was never in any real danger, not here. But Noctis on the other hand.

"Ignis, please talk to me.."

He couldn't. He couldn't be in this room.

So he left, without looking at Ava, without acknowledging her. Without a single word.

Like everyone else in the Citadel.

He didn't shut the door behind him.

Three days passed and she saw no one but her Glaive and Monica. Three days passed and she hadn't left her room, insisting that her meals be brought to her. No one asked how she was doing, no one gave her an update on Noctis. All presuming she didn't know and that she was better off not knowing. Three days passed. Not a single word from Ignis, nor note, nor message.

Just nothing.

It wasn't that she didn't have the means to entertain herself, she could easily do so. She had books, and movies, and video games, and even a library at her disposal…but it wasn't the same, not without them.

It was the first time in her life that Ava had truly felt alone in the Citadel.

This was the longest she had gone without seeing either of her friends.

The hallways were too quiet.

She laid in bed, staring up at the chandelier. She kept hearing his words over and over in her head, seeing his face. She couldn't recall seeing Ignis in such a state before, so scared and helpless, it was horrifying. She was worried about him. She was worried about Noctis. Ava wanted both of them with her. She wanted to curl up next to her friends in Noct's bed, reading books and telling stories before letting their dreams take them.

But things were different now, she knew that. The prince had been attacked and in Insomnia of all places, by a daemon! This wasn't supposed to happen.

She needed Ignis, she needed his confident voice and assurance. He would tell her that it was okay, that it would be okay...even though it wasn't and she knew it wasn't. He would somehow convince her. But Ignis wasn't here, he didn't even believe it himself. He had given in under the severity of the situation.

She had to figure this out on her own.

* * *

Ava walked briskly, head held high with her Glaive behind her. No more moping or worrying. If no one was willing to give her an answer, then she would get one herself. Ignis wasn't wrong, Noctis did have a higher priority than her, but he wasn't here in the Citadel, he wasn't in Insomnia, he wasn't even in Lucis. That, by Ignis's logic made her the next rank by default. There was one person here who would know the answers and she would get them.

The training hall was only accessible from the outside, that didn't matter to her. She could hear her escort's pace picking up as she approached the facility.

"My Lady, the Marshal isn't taking company at the moment."

Ava stopped in her tracks, kicking up the rocks with her shoes.

"He's dealing with a very important issue that requires his full attention."

"I know. That's why I'm going to speak with him." She said before she kept walking to the main door. It was heavy, almost too heavy. Her assigned escort did not assist her, only observed. He was not going to be responsible for her defiance. Ava turned around and gave him a frown before using her upper body strength and shoulder to push the door open. The Glaive did not follow her but remained stationed at the door, muttering nonsense under his breath.

She walked past aisles and aisles of sparring pairs of Kingsglaives and Crownsguards holding a wide range of weapons, from pole arms, to great swords, to shields and guns. There were spurts of magic of all different colors. Once she walked past them, the soldiers ceased their fighting, they were all looking at her, walking her march to the Marshal's office without fear, without anything holding her back. She could hear a couple of them properly acknowledging her but most did not.

Just as she arrived at his door, Cor opened it; distracted by the sudden silence of the training hall. He looked down at the cause and bowed to the small lady.

"Lady Ava, your appearance is most...unexpected." He seemingly glared at the entire Insomnia army all at once and without a single word spoken, they all resumed their training.

"Marshal. I would like to speak with you, please." Ava curtsed. No defiance or fear in her voice just genuine concern for her friend.

"This is not a matter that concerns you." He said before bowing again, indicating the end of the conversation before she had been able to get a single word in. Ava didn't back down.

"With all due respect, I disagree. I believe it does concern me and I would like to talk about it."

Cor cocked an eyebrow at her but did not dismiss her right away. He let her continue.

"I know there was an attack. I know Noctis was injured. I know it happened in Insomnia and it was because of a daemon. A daemon was in the city! King Regis wasn't able to kill it, but was able to stop it. I know people died and I know Noctis is currently in Tenebrae with the Oracle and her children."

"None of which you were supposed to know, I'm afraid."

"But I do. What I _don't know_ is why I'm not supposed to know."

"As I said, it doesn't concern you."

"But it does. If I had been hurt instead of Noct, he would have been told, right?"

"Yes. But he is a child of royal blood, you are not."

"So?"

"So?" He repeated. This argument with this child was growing tiresome, he had better things to do. More important things to focus on.

"He's my friend, my best friend and I know I'm not a royal child, but I'm far from a normal child. Most normal children don't meet their future husbands when they're five and grow up in a castle with them. I don't have royal blood but my children will and that has to mean something, doesn't it Cor?"

He looked at her, bewildered by her statement. This was the exact opposite what was supposed to happen. The palace hadn't wanted her to worry, but it backfired heavily. She was only 8, she didn't deserve this much weight on her shoulders at this age. She was scared for her friend, their intentions were solely to keep her preoccupied until Noctis came home. Nothing malicious like she had assumed. He failed Noctis and he failed her.

"So…" She looked down at her feet now, her necklace clutched in her hands. "What happens when I'm Queen...and he's hurt. Is anyone going to tell me then?"

Cor Leonis felt his heart crack at that remark. This had all gone terribly wrong.

"Of course, Lady Ava. And moving forward, should any harm come to the Prince, you will be notified. I apologize for the stress these recent events have caused you."

She curtised to him once more, wearing a small smile on her lips and a clear understanding in her heart, and left the facility.

* * *

"Lady Ava, what I said earlier...after some consideration, I realized that what I was trying to convey could have easily been misinterpreted. I sincerely apologize, I truly meant no offense."

Within minutes of returning to her chambers, Ignis Scientia knocked with several rose water macaroons on a tray in his right hand. She beamed, hugging the side of this body that wasn't holding the desserts and motioned him into her room. Ava briefly wondered if he had come on his accord or if the word had traveled _that_ quickly. She decided on the former, given the Glaive still at her door.

"It's alright, Ignis...I know what you meant." Her posture and smile might have been sincere enough but the exhaustion in her voice gave her away. He could see her face, but she couldn't see his.

"I'm sorry." He said he said again. She smiled at him.

"Ignis..?"

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Why did you tell me about Noctis? I wasn't supposed to find out, was I?"

"No, you weren't but the reasoning just made sense to me. One day, you and Noctis will be married. There will be no secrets between the two of you. This...incident will undoubtedly leave an impact on him and I felt it best for you to know about it, not only as his bride to be, but also as his friend… Headstrong as the Prince can be at times, I am certain that had the situation been reversed, he would have wanted to know the status of your condition."

"Thank you."

"I also want to apologize for my unprofessional behavior towards you during our last encounter…"

"It's okay...you were worried about Noct"

"You're not upset with me, my Lady?"

"Why would I be? You're my friend too, Ignis."

"What do you mean?"

"We're friends, if something is bothering you or making you sad, you can talk to me about it."

"Lady Ava…"

"Not as an Advisor to his Queen, but as a friend to his friend."

"Thank you, Lady Ava."

"Ava, please."

"Ava…" Ignis tested, then smiled. "But only in moments like this. Formality still must be obeyed in the Citadel and in the company of the court."

"You talk to me differently…. Did you know that? The morning after the attack, none of the adults would tell me what happened. I understand why now, I know it's to protect me, to make sure I don't worry...but I wanted to know. I just wanted to know what happened to Noct. And...they wouldn't tell me. You don't talk to me like a kid. Why?"

"Because you won't always be a child, La.."

She arched an eyebrow at him.

"My Apologies...Ava. One day, you will be crowned Queen of Lucis and that title will remain for the rest of your life. And even after your life, you will be remembered as a Queen of Lucis….so, I choose to talk to you as such, with respect. Better to form the habit early, I suppose."

"There are worse habits…"

He stood properly, back straight and extended his hand to his hand to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your dance lesson was this evening."

"You're right, but all of my private lessons this week have been cancelled…"

"As your dance instructor, I insist on a make-up lesson…"

"Why?"

"...for muscle memory." He admitted that it sounded better in his head. His eyes darted away from her momentarily.

"Not because it's my favorite lesson?" She teased, witnessing the faint pink blush suddenly appear on his face.

"Not at all." He replied sarcastically with a smirk on his lips. She put his hand in his, accepting his apology. 

_And they danced._


	4. The Shield

From What I've Tasted of Desire

Chapter 4.

The Shield.

* * *

Before the Fall:

Insomnia 

"So, you really snuck out and got caught?" Ava asked,reading her comic book, laying across Noctis's bed. He was at his desk, his eyes focused on his tutor's project. His back was to her, deliberately, so that every so often, he could glance at the red notebook at the bottom of his book pile. Luna was waiting on him to write back...

"Yeah, Dad said I'm grounded for two weeks." He groaned, continuing to write, he could feel Ignis's eyes on him but paid him no mind. "No video games, no comics, no arcades."

"That sucks, Noct..."

" _Language_ , Ava…" The advisor chimed in, with a stern tone. He sat in an armchair on the other side of the Prince's bedroom, legs crossed, going over his council notes for the third time, though his top priority was making sure Noctis wasn't distracted from his punishment. "Though while on the subject of your nightly activities, Noct. I appreciate not receiving the blame this time…"

"You weren't even there, Specs…" The Prince replied with annoyed tone, clearly wanting to drop the subject. He was not the mood for any more lecturing about what had occurred, whether it be from Ignis, his father, or Gladio himself.

"Never stopped you before, Highness…"

Noctis didn't respond to his sarcastic remark. Ava lifted her comic to hide her face in a failed attempt to muffle her laughter from the boys. Noctis smiled, Ignis did not.

"I can read aloud from my book if you'd like?" She offered. The narrowing glare Ignis gave her went unnoticed.

"No thanks, Avs, it's not the same without the pictures." His back was still to her though she could hear the appreciation in his tone. She had tried reasoning with him, that he should tell the King the truth, he was just following the little girl and she simply got lost...but Noctis only shrugged it off.

"What's Clarus's son like anyways? I haven't met him yet." She closed her comic book, the interest in it suddenly gone. She _had_ meant to meet her royal shield some time ago but given Noctis's past reluctance to spar with his new guard, she wasn't particularly interested in doing so and Ignis didn't exactly push it.

"I heard he's strong, confidant, and handsome." A loud deep voice joked, startling Ava, Noctis, and Ignis with his sudden interruption. The latter arched an eyebrow, clearly not amused. Ignis was not fond of being caught off guard. .

"Iris tells me he's a pretty cool big brother too." Noctis raised his arm to the stranger who responded by lifting his own arm and bumping it against the Prince's. Ava quickly deduced that it must have been a special greeting between the two. He mentioned Iris...Iris Amicitia, maybe? The same Iris responsible for Noct's current punishment? He said sister... If so….that would be mean…

He was tall, very tall, taller than Ignis, but completely different in build. He was tan skinned and sturdier, wider, with defined muscles in his arms, legs, and chest. Even through his uniform, Ava could tell he was toned. His hair style was one that she couldn't recall seeing before. Shaved at the sides with dark brown hair styled on top.

"I still can't believe you took the fall for her…" The young man started to say before glancing over to Ava. His eyes were intense, a mixture of red and amber, but they were warm. He was just...so big. It took no more than four strides to walk from the desk to the bed. He bowed to his Queen, seemingly delighted to meet her at last.

"Honored to finally meet ya, Princess. Gladiolus Amicitia, Gladio for short. I look forward to serving you and his highness as your Royal Shield."

"You're-You're my shield?" She stuttered. His physique was so imposing.

"Not exclusively yours, regrettably. I'm tasked to guard both Noct and yourself now and when you are crowned King and Queen and thereafter...like my father and my grandfather before me.

"But...I'm not a Princess, you must know this..."

"You're not a Princess? You're growing up in a Castle, being taught how to bow and curtsy and all that, wearing fancy dresses…I bet you can sing and dance too…"

Ava looked away from him, faintly blushing. It only confirmed his suspicions.

"Thought so…" He continued, his smile still smug as ever. "Word around here is that your favorite meal is cake and ice cream…"

"Only orange cake and only when Ignis makes it…" she interrupted, but Gladio didn't seem to hear her and continued to talk over the future Queen. Ignis placed his reports on the end table next to him and crossed his arms in disapproval.

"Servants, maids, and retainters all waiting on you hand and foot...and to top it all off..." He then walked over to Noctis and put his hands on his shoulders, giving the Prince a playful shake. "You get to marry Princey boy here. That, by definition, makes you a…"

"Lady." Ava said firmly, not giving Gladio the satisfaction of winning his argument. "I'm Lady Ava Lux Arcticus. Pleasure to meet you, Gladio." She smiled and extended a hand to properly greet him. He laughed when he took it and she immediately noted the size difference between them. Her hand practically fit inside his palm with his fingers wrapping themselves around her wrist. He was definitely older than her and Noctis, maybe older than Ignis or at least the same age as him….? She thought.

As if he was reading her mind, he suddenly said "Fourteen. I'm coming up on Fourteen in the spring." He released her hand then and sat on the bed next to her. Noctis put down his pen, turning around his chair to face them both. His project could wait.

"How did you…?" She looked away again.

"Just a feeling, Princess. And I'll have you kn-" Gladio paused. He had an inkling there was a third pair of eyes fixated on him. He looked over his shoulder and, sure enough, he was correct.

"What's with the scowl, four-eyes? Or are you trying to have your face stay like that permanently?" He taunted. Noctis and Ava briefly made eye contact with one another, silently asking the other if it was appropriate to laugh or not. It was one thing to occasionally tease Ignis for his antics, but it was an entirely different thing altogether to insult him. The Advisor wasn't one to raise his voice, because he didn't have to. The Prince and Lady both agreed to say nothing.

Ignis looked daggers at the Shield. "You should address our Queen with a bit more formality, Gladiolus. Wouldn't you agree?"

Gladio frowned at the Advisor with pure disdain. The tension between them was instant and suffocating, to everyone except Noctis that is…

"No kidding, Specs!" The Prince replied to the both of them. "Why don't you talk to me like that? I might have started enjoying training a long time ago.."

Ignis responded before Gladio even opened his mouth. "Because, your Highness, Gladiolus' charms are exclusively created for and directed to a very specific group of people…people unlike me, you, and the shield himself." He said to Noctis without taking his green eyes off of the Shield.

Gladio said nothing.

Noctis said nothing.

Ava said nothing.

And then after a few more seconds of silence, The Crown Prince of Lucis finally responded.

"Huh?"

Finally breaking eye contact with Clarus's son, Ignis sighed the heaviest sigh he could possibly force out of his chest and stood up from the arm-chair.

"He's flirting with her, Noct..."

Gladio exhaled in a huff, instantly standing to meet Ignis's eye level. Challenging him to insult him again.

"What?! Ignis...that's gross." Noctis said in pure disgust, sticking his tongue out like a raw vegetable had been placed directly in front of him. That thought alone made him decide that he was no longer interested in this conversation and turned back to his desk, resuming his tutor's project.

Gladio remained stiff and unmoving. He honestly didn't think he could ever dislike someone as much as he hated the Prince initially...and yet.

"You wanna run that by me again, 'Specs'?" Gladio took a step towards Ignis, his fists clenched and ready to strike. Ignis stabled his footing, preparing to dodge if needed.

"Excuse me…" Ava mumbled, covering her face as she walked quickly past the two older boys and left the room.

"Avs?...Avs! You forgot your comic book!" Noctis shouted after her, hoping she would respond, but she didn't.

Ignis eyed the book in question and started to walk towards it. "I'll insure this is returned to Lady Ava…" But once he was within reach of it, Gladio admittingly being closer to the book, snatched it from the top of the bed.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she gets it." Gladio cautioned the Advisor. He promptly bowed to the Prince and saw himself out, but not before purposely bumping Ignis with his shoulder.

* * *

She was humiliated, completely and utterly humiliated. On the verge of tears, Ava kept her head down, walking then soon running down the hallway, trying to get to her bedroom as quickly as she could. Her voice was threatening to crack at any second.

"Hey Princess, wait up!" Gladio's voice echoed behind her. He was quick...how in the world was someone so large so quick?

She picked up her pace, she didn't want him to see her like this….but then.

She did.

"How could you embarrass me like that, Gladio?! Why would flirt with me in front of the Prince?! We're betrothed!" Ava yelled at him, her face was beat red and stinging with tears. "And now, Noctis thinks I'm disgusting! Why would you do that?!"

It took Gladio all but two steps before he was face to face to her, his hand gently covering her mouth.

"Sssshh! You can't be saying stuff like that around here, Lady Ava…" His other hand was placed at the back of her head as he squatted down on one knee to meet her eye level. He didn't look angry...or even offended. It surprised her. He let go of her mouth, firmly placing his hand against her cheek. "You're mistaken. I wasn't trying to flirt with you. Specs said that in a pissy fit, I didn't. Yeah...I can be too friendly around girls sometimes, I'll admit that...but it's just...it's your smile, it reminds me of my sister's...and I'm sworn to protect her like I'm sworn to protect you. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm sorry, Ava…"

"I remind you of your sister?" She asked, not really knowing how to respond to such a statement. Ava was an only child in the traditional sense. Despite growing up with two other children, she never thought of them as brothers, certainly not Ignis and definitely not Noctis. And she was pretty sure neither of them saw her as a sister...

But Gladio had.

"Yeah, you're kind and curious. You have a knack for seeing the best in people…"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do…"

"I'm sorry I ran away."

"But you didn't run away, you turned around and faced your problems, even when I was the problem. That takes guts."

She didn't believe him so she didn't respond.

"Let me make it up to you. How about that?"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Downtown Insomnia, lets go."

"Now?"

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"What about Noct?"

"He's grounded, remember? Four eyes can babysit him."

"I'll need a gu-...Nevermind."

"Cool, I'll tell Cor to get the car started….and I believe this is yours." He placed her book into her hands. "Hurry up and change, I'll be waiting in the lobby."

Ava gave a him quick smile and sprinted off to her room to change into something more casual. She grabbed her bag and digital camera. She knew exactly where she wanted to go.

* * *

"I never would have guessed you for a museum patron." Gladio smirked, nudging Ava in the side. Her eyes were focused on the small screen. Her lips curled in concentration as the changing images recounted their afternoon. She didn't look up at him.

"I love them. The exhibits are always so cool. Did you see that Helixhorn? And that Earth Gemstone? Those come from Tenebrae."

"The what and the what?"

"Here, hold this." She handed him her camera, which Gladio promptly put in his jacket pocket. Ava reached into her bag and pulled out one of the brochures from the museum. It was a map of Lucis. "Okay, so. There's the volcano, right? Well, across the channel are these creatures called Duplicorns and their horns are like, crazy powerful. Local legend says that a long time ago, these horns were used to make weapons."

"Impressive, Princess. How do you know all this?"

"I've been interested in treasures since Noct gave me a book about them. Ignis and I used to up stay up late reading these books about creatures in Eos."

"I see...and where was Noct during these slumber parties?"

"He was usual already asleep."

"Heh, figures."

"I wish I could come here all the time, learning about treasures from all over the world. What could be more fun than that?!"

"Camping."

"Camping?...as in...sleeping outside?...on the ground?...seriously?" The look on her face was priceless and Gladio couldn't help but laugh. Pure disgust and disdain at the very thought of not sleeping on a mattress.

"Spoken like a true princess."

Ava scoffed at him.

"At least it's not fishing…"

"Right, I'm taking his highness on a fishing trip this weekend. Introducing him to the tent life as well. Just hope it doesn't rain."

"Please don't make me go...I always have to go fishing with him." Ava pleaded with her shield.

"Noct specifically asked that you don't go this time...he said you're too loud and you scare the fish away…"

Ava was too relieved to be even remotely offended by Noct's passive remark.

"So I guess Ignis has to go too?"

"Yep. Unfortunately 'Specs' has to accompany us."

"I don't know what got into him today...he's usually not so...oh, what's the word…?"

"Jealous?" Gladio finished her sentence before she could. The expression on her face told him that he was very wrong in his assumption.

"...Defensive." Ava spat through her teeth and she quickened her pace, walking slightly ahead of him.

"Right..." He said slyly. Something about Gladio's tone didn't sit well with Ava. She stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her shield with the same scowl on her face.

"Jealous? Why would you say that? What would he even be jealous about?"

Gladio looked at her as if she was on fire. It was so obvious! Did she _really_ not see it? Maybe she didn't. Perhaps her mind didn't allow her to see it. He did the math in his head, five years now? She'd been betrothed for five years...by now it was all she had never known. She couldn't possibly see it...or understand.

"Nothing...Nevermind." Gladio rolled his eyes, shook his head, and started walking down the sidewalk, occasionally looking down to make sure Ava was still moving and at his side. He could tell she was trying to figure out what to say back to him. After a few seconds, the anger from her face fell. Ava didn't feel like arguing anymore and Gladio didn't even know him.

"You shouldn't be so hard on Ignis. He's really busy all the time, but he's really nice once you get to know him. And he's really a good cook."

"Psh, I don't need a cook. I've already got Cup Noodles."

"What are Cup Noodles?"

"Oh, I'll let you taste for yourself when we get back to the Citadel. They're amazing, best thing you'll ever eat."

"Look how pretty this poster is, Gladio!" Ava yelled, changing the subject entirely. The pair stopped in front of an elaborate building, with white columns and a gothic decorum. The Theater of Insomnia. Gladio leaned back to look at what had captured the little lady's attention. It was a advertisement of the an upcoming musical. Two lovers embraced in the moonlight, surrounded by broken glass. Gladio didn't get it, per say. But he appreciated the artwork for what it was.

"I've never been to a musical, I've always wanted to go to one...but I doubt Noct would like it..."

"Theater's not my thing, but if you wanna go? Just say the word."

"Thank you...Gladio." She smiled at him. He was so different than Noctis and Ignis. A bit on the rude side sometimes, but not nearly as strict and proper. It was refreshing how relaxed she felt in his presence. He was walking away when she suddenly had an idea.

"At least the weather ain't crummy, huh Princess?"

No response.

"Ava?" Gladio looked to his left and his right and saw nothing. He quickly turned around. He was several yards away from her, and she...she was still in front of the poster, digging in her bag. Eyes completely obvious to her surroundings.

"Hold on, I wanna take a picture of this poster." She yelled, not looking up from her bag. Her fingers were shuffling around, trying to find her camera but with no luck. Where was it? Didn't she just have it?

"Ava!" She heard Gladio roar in a tone that struck terror into her heart right away. She didn't move. She couldn't move. Her eyes looked away from Gladio when every voice in her head screamed not to take his eyes off of him. Next to her stood a tall man, his face hidden. There was a knife in his hand. He towered over her, ready to strike. She was so small, so defenseless, and she couldn't move. A perfect target She swore she could hear Gladio shout something, but for the love of the Astrals, she couldn't make it out. Her body was frozen. Paralyzed with fear.

Gladio sprinted as fast as he could, he could feel the air cling to his face. He was moving but it wasn't fast enough. He screamed as loud as his could, anything to imidate the attacker. He wouldn't make in time. Ava needed to run, she wasn't running. He bellowed at her to run, to move, to do something. But she wasn't. He felt lungs about to pop.

The man raised his knife. The tip of the blade pointed upwards, ready to slice its intended victim wide open, swiftly and effortlessly. It would be only a matter of seconds and this child bride, this disgusting and shameless act of Lucian filth would be no more. She would the first and final arranged bride. That would be certain. He would take the hit from the shield. It didn't matter. He would accept his crime. No more children would be forced into marriage. And then, he swung. His wielded arm was wide open. He attacked, aiming for her throat.

The fear suddenly faded and the shallow, heavy sensation of instinct kicked in. Ava pushed all of her weight back onto her heels and began to fall backwards, away from the weapon. Without hesitation, without a second thought, she brought her right arm up to her face, shielding it.

First, she felt the concrete hit her back. Then, her shoulders. Last, her skull. It was excruciating, sudden, and sharp. Ava felt herself release a deep, delayed scream from her chest, though she couldn't hear it. All she could hear was the ringing in her ears from the fall. She brought her hands to her head, cradling it, attempting to soothe it. Anything to stop the pain. She could feel footsteps run next to her and saw a large body jump over her to tackle her attacker. There were other voices now. Other people coming towards her. She could barely make out the words.

Then, without any kind warning, she felt pain coming from elsewhere. It was very different from the pain radiating from the upper part of her body. It was a stinging sensation, raw and open. She let go of her head, just for a moment, and that's when she saw it.

There was blood. So much of it. It coated her hands and her entire right arm. She felt it in her hair, on her face, under her fingernails. Her dress was spotted and splattered with red. It dripped from her elbow and her wrist as she watched in shock. He had actually struck her. She had never seen so much of her own blood before. There were the occasional scratches and scrapes but nothing like this.

This...this...this was...

She couldn't hold it in anymore. A loud, grotesque, wailing sound erupted from her. The hot tears falling from her eyes burned her face. It hurt to see. It hurt to move. She felt so many hands on her body, gripping and pulling in every direction, and none of them were Gladio's.

"Get back! Ava! Ava! Ava, calm down! You've gotta stay calm, Princess. I said get back!" Gladio's voice was booming and cracking, panicked and commanding. She felt herself being lifted up from the concrete. A large hand was cradling her head, but it felt like a boulder. Ava suddenly felt the urge to vomit. The pain in her head didn't go away, nor did the pain in her arm. It wouldn't stop. She just wanted it to stop.

"Make it stop!" She cried into his chest, but there was no comfort there.

"Stay calm, Ava. I've got you. I'll get you home."

The adrenaline worn off then, and the pain took her, wrapped her in a deep, instant sleep.

* * *

Gladio sprinted up the Citadel's steps, cradling the unconscious lady in his arms and leaving small drops of crimson behind them on the pearly white stones. His arm was warm with her blood. It had soaked through his uniform onto his undershirt, but he didn't care.

The staff swarmed them within seconds. Word had traveled fast. Ignis frantically made his way to the front of the crowd.

"Lady Ava! Gladio, how can I be of service? Are you alright?" Ignis pleaded and the previous tension between the advisor and the shield was suddenly no longer there.

"Poor girl is gonna have a bad headache when she wakes up." Gladio handed Ava off to one of her maids who insisted on washing her up right away. He didn't argue. "What do you recommend, Iggy?"

Ignis paused. A new nickname? It was far more enduring than any of his previous ones and no mention of his glasses. He humbly accepted it, though now was not the time to physically acknowledge it.

"Fresh linens, warm towels, and several ice packs. I'll see to it that she is taken care of." He nodded his head in respect to Gladio and hurried off before Clarus's son could respond.

"Gladiolus. His Majesty and His Highness have requested your presence immediately." Another guard said and the royal shield made his way to the throne room.

* * *

Ava fluttered her eyes open. She saw her bedroom, she saw at least a dozen bouquets of flowers ranging from roses to sunflowers to lilies. There were cards and balloons, a few stuffed animals. A tray of pink and purple macarons rested on her nightstand. The colors of twilight were glowing through the windows.

She quickly sensed that she had been bathed. Her hair was still damp, the smell of her favorite soap clung to her skin, and she was now wearing a soft nightgown. There was a slight pain in her head, but it was nothing like before she had passed out. What really caught her attention was her injured arm in a sling. Her arm felt wet and numb, like something oily was on the skin underneath the bandages. She was startled when she saw Gladio, sitting in the chair on the far side of the room.

"Didn't mean to frighten you…" He laughed and made his way to her bed. Ava gave him a brief smile, then looked down in embarrassment. It came flooding back. How hysterical she was...the fool she made of herself...She said nothing.

"Ava? You alright?" He wore a more serious expression now. He placed a firm grip on her other shoulder, the one that wasn't cradled in the sling.

"I'm so sorry this happened. It's my fault...I should have been paying more attention. Are you fired?" Ava whispered as she kept her head down in shame and guilt.

"Not at all…" His hand left her shoulder and pushed her chin upwards so he could see her eyes. They were bloodshot and glossed over with tears. "Don't you worry about me, Ava. I'm just glad you're safe...and what happened was simply wrong place, wrong time...you didn't run away. I'm proud of you."

She scoffed at his wasn't a courageous act. She was simply too scared to move. "What happened to the attacker?"

"Some 'protester of peace'. I knocked him out before Cor got to him. The Marshal currently has him in custody."

She nodded and looked back down. Several seconds of awkward silence passed between before Gladio spoke up.

"Um..How's the arm?"

"It sucks, Gladio…" The droning annoyance and shortness in her voice, so uncharismatic and so unlike her, drew a heavy, deep laugh from the shield. Ava adored the noise. It was so untamed and infectious that she couldn't help laugh with him.

"The doctor said it's going to leave a nasty scar."

"Great, my mom is going to be so thrilled..."

"You're lucky you still have the thing. The damage is purely cosmetic. You'll be fine in a couple of days. Besides, scars build character and the best ones make for good stories...yours is a good story."

"A good story with a ugly scar…" she groaned. "Could be worse though, could have been a giant face scar…"

"Noct stopped by earlier to say hello, but you were asleep and he didn't feel like waking ya."

"Thanks." She smiled, "Where's he now?"

"In the gardens, playing with that dog of his."

"Umbra?! Umbra's here?!"

"Er, that the one with black fur?"

"Yeah! Ugh, I love that dog…"

"I'm sure you'll see him around..."

"Oh for sure, he visits Noct all the time.." Ava sighed deeply and glanced at the tray of tiny desserts next to the bed. "I bet Ignis is going bezerk…Last time..."She started to say and then caught herself. She almost let it slip, how Ignis had reacted to Noctis's injury from the Daemon attack two years ago...but decided it was best left unsaid. Noctis didn't know and Gladio didn't have to know either. Ignis had never brought it up since that time in the gardens. Neither had she. " I mean...he's not a fan of whenever Noct and I get hurt."

"Bah, I checked on Iggy. He's fine. He's baking something in the kitchen, couldn't tell you what it was though…definitely something with oranges…"

"I think I have an idea of what it might be…" she smiled, but it quickly faded. "I missed dinner, didn't I? Got any of those Cup Noodles on you?"

"I don't, but I've got something better...here." He reached into his pocket and presented her with a small black box. Ava eyed it curiously. There was nothing formal about it. No bow, no family crest decorating the top of it, but it was, without a question, a ring box.

"Go ahead. It's a gift."

Unable to open it with her dominant hand, Ava's left fingers fumbled with the box top. After struggling to open it, she managed to do so just as Gladio reached to help her.

Just as she suspected, it was a ring. Small and golden but beautiful in its simplicity. There was no engraving, no gemstone, nor decoration of any kind. Just a golden bang. She looked up at Gladio with a questioning expression.

"It summons a shield, but don't test it out here...might hit someone." He chuckled, taking the ring from her grip and gently placing it on her right middle finger, careful to not move her injury. "I had it made for you, Princess. Once your arm is healed up, we'll start training."

"I thought I wasn't allowed a weapon, only Queens of Royal Blood can have weapons…" Ava pouted. She thought of the very first crowned Lucian Queen, Crepera, and her throwing star. Ava then had an idea. Maybe her daughter, if she had a daughter, could take up this shield instead of her...it would be her birth right, not Ava's…

"Royal blood or not, everyone's got the right to protect themselves. In the incredibly rare event that neither Noct nor I are able to protect you….again, you gotta be able to defend yourself from harm."

She couldn't argue with that. Not after today.

"Don't worry. It's not an ugly shield."

"I wasn't worried about that…"

"Yes you were…. I can't train ya how to use it properly until your injury is fully healed, but your morning workout will begin at the crack of dawn, starting tomorrow."

"What kind of workout?"

"Stretches mainly. We're gonna start with stretches and move our way up to yoga…" He started to say before he eyed her up and down, analyzing. "Your build isn't exactly compatible for just strength alone. No offense. With the right training, you have the potential to be very quick and flexible...useful skills to have in a fight. It ain't always about strength."

"Okay. Yeah….yeah, tomorrow morning...I'll be there. Thanks Gladio." She felt it then, that this relationship with Gladiolus wasn't going to be like that of Noctis and Ignis. If she reminded him of his sister...then he could be her brother. The big, protective, older brother she never had, that she had no idea she even needed before today. He had already sworn an oath to protect her. This would be fine.

"I probably shouldn't say this but...when I first heard that about the royal guards, how Noctis and I would have our own like Clarus, I was hoping it would be a girl...No offense. I mean, I like you, and Noct, and Ignis ...it would have just been nice, that's all…"

"I take it no one's told you…?"

"Told me what? No one tells me anything! It's infuriating!"

"Iggy didn't mention it?"

"Tell me, Gladio! Please tell me!"

"I don't know, Princess…" He said slyly, simply enjoying holding it over her head because he could.

"Please please please!"

"Fine, fine. When you're a little bit older, I'd say probably another two to three years maybe...you'll be exclusively assigned your own Queensguard."

"I get my own what?!"


End file.
